Beauty and the Beast: A Look at Perspectives - Research Paper Example

Name Instructor March 21, 2012 Beauty and the Beast: A Look at Perspectives Popular culture is the mixture of folk and mass culture, and the availability of this culture and its products make it easily absorbed and imbibed by the general public, which reinstates itself even more as the voice of the general population (Schudson 85)…

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At present, most of the age groups that absorb the popular culture are children and adolescents, especially since most products available target younger buyers and consumers (Sammond 7). Never had the world seen so much interest and glorification to childhood than in the middle part of the 20th century. Baby boomers were emerging, and capitalists were able to gain from the increase in infants by providing products specifically made for them. Books on how to raise children properly became abundant; studies about children’s physiology as well as psychology were also becoming the norm (Sammond 7). It was about this time that Walter Disney was successful in producing movies and other short animations that were aimed at young audiences, and was very successful in creating a mainstream American culture that is acceptable to many social classes (13). It is much like festivals, where people are enjoined to be merry and this was the orthodox of that time (Burke 28). The movie “Beauty and the Beast” from Walt Disney Pictures tells the story of a young girl named Belle, about her life in a small village in France, and how it changed after meeting and living with the Beast in his huge castle, along with the servants that were transformed into animated objects. Released in 1991, the movie has endured time and was even released in 3-D in January of 2012, thus adding up additional earnings aside from the merchandise and other franchises of the film. To narrate the story: A beast was locked in a spell due to his arrogance and cold nature, by a fairy that was disguised as a beggar. In order to break the curse, the Beast must learn how to love another, and be loved in return before the last petal of a magical rose falls. Should he fail to do such a daunting task, he shall forever remain a beast (“Beauty”). Meanwhile, in a small village somewhere in France, Belle (the beauty) wants to have something more in life, like experiencing the adventures that she get to read from books she borrows from the local bookshop. When her father didn’t come home after going to the fair, she tried to search for him and was lead to the Beast’s castle in the dark forest, where she trespassed and found her father imprisoned. She traded places with her father and the Beast kept her in the castle. As the story progressed, Beast was able to tone his temper down a notch and gradually fell for Belle, while she got acquainted with the servants of castle, which were mostly animated objects. She missed her father so Beast let her go home, and brought a magic mirror with her, so she could see what was happening to the castle. However, upon coming home her father was locked in a cart going to the asylum by the local bully and famous man Gaston, who created a mob that would break into the Beast’s castle after learning of his existence. Unfortunately the servants of the castle were able to defend themselves and the castle mostly from the townsfolk, except from Gaston, who targeted Beast to kill him. Initially the Beast lost all strength in protecting himself, thinking that Belle already left him and he would remain a beast for good, but upon seeing her return to the castle to help in defeating Gaston, the Beast quickly fended Gaston, but not without getting wounded mortally. Belle professed her love to the Beast just as he was breathing his last, thus breaking the spell and returning him into his human form, along with the
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2. Principal Theme
The underlying theme conveyed is the people allegory... of...

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